While, therefore, strict uniformity could not be maintained in taking the pulse records in table 84 under the conditions previously noted, especially the prior activity and the food in the stomach, never-theless the picture is reasonably uniform with practically all subjects, showing an effect of the low diet upon the pulse-rate before work and especially a pronounced increase following the resumption of full diet. The high value of Moy on January 7 has an interest, as it will be remembered that in the discussion of the early morning pulse-rates in table 80 he was shown to be one of two men who, on return from the Christmas vacation, had a pulse-rate lower than the last value recorded in December. The poet-absorptive pulse-rate of 43 in table 80 was observed during the early morning experiment of January 8, while the high pulse-rate of 74 was recorded immediately before the work experiment of Professor Johnson on the day preceding . (January 7). The records indicate that this man returned to Springfield before dinner on January 7 and was a subject for the work test near the middle of the afternoon. Professor Johnson's pulse records during the experiment show that Moy's pulse-rate of 74 prior to work was an average of three countings. Following the work the pulse-rate at the end of 8 minutes was 76 and it finally reached a level of 74 at the end of 9 minutes. These later records seem to verify completely the initial high count. The record of 43 for January 8 in table 80 indicates that the pulse-rate had fallen to a level below his pulse level prior to the Christmas recess. On January 9 the pulse in the early morning was 60. For several weeks subsequent to this date, pulse-rates averaging 42 beats were obtained, with fair agreement between the two series of records.

Table 84. - Daily Pulse-Rate With Food1 - Squad A Subjects In Lying Position

1 Observations made between 9h30m and llh30m a. m. and between 1h30m and 4h30m p. m. just prior to work on the bicycle ergometer, constancy having been obtained for several counts. 2 See table 80, p. 385. 3 Kon was on normal diet on this day, and hence this pulse-rate is not included in the average.

The same subject (Moy) had on November 2 a pulse-rate prior to work of 70 as compared to one of 48 on October 29. Table 80 shows that the pulse-rate of Moy in the early morning of November 2 was only 40. We thus have here again a marked difference between the post-absorptive pulse and the pulse-rate prior to work. With the other men, fluctuations as pronounced as this are rarely observed. Attention should, however, be called to the high value of 78 on December 3 with Tom. Unfortunately on that particular day there is no post-absorptive pulse value for comparison as his respiratory exchange was not measured that morning; the early morning record for the next day (December 4) was 64.

For further comparison we give in the last column of table 84 the averages obtained for the post-absorptive pulse-rates in the lying position which were recorded in the early morning. (See table 80, p. 385.) Although, of course, the comparison can only be made for the low-diet period, since no early-morning records were made after February 3, these figures show, as would be expected, that the pulse-rate prior to bicycle riding was in all but two cases higher than in the morning. On January 18 and 21, identical values were found both for the pulse in the early morning and for the pulse prior to work, namely, 49 and 44 on the two days, respectively. The difference between the levels of the two series of values may best be observed from the curves for the average normal pulse-rate prior to work and the average basal pulse-rate in the morning given on the chart in figure 91 (p. 411). As indicated by the last two columns of table 84, this difference is usually not far from 3 to 6 beats.

This intimate comparison of these two series of pulse data supplies a logical argument for the scientific recording of pulse-rates only when the subject is in the post-absorptive condition and after a considerable period of muscular repose. Under these conditions, as may be seen from table 80, striking irregularities are usually avoided and the pulse-rate seems to provide an admirable index of the general metabolic condition.

Pulse-Rate. Lying Before Work, Squad B

The absence of pulse observations on Squad A prior to the period of diet restriction is a fault in the pulse study with this squad. With Squad B, excepting when they were on low diet January 8 to 28, inclusive, certain values were obtained which make up in part for this deficiency in normal values with Squad A. Thus, beginning October 24, Professor Johnson obtained lying values for the pulse-rate of these subjects prior to work, and as the squad had no diet restriction until January 8, the values between these two dates supply material for comparison. The pulse values recorded by Professor Johnson are given in table' 85 for both the normal, restricted, and unrestricted diet periods. The daily averages are given for these subjects as was done for Squad A just prior to work on the bicycle ergometer, constancy having been obtained for several counts. 2 On March 1 the pulse-rate of Lon was 61; of Kim, 69.

Table 85. - Daily Pulse-Rate With Food1 - Squad B, Subjects In Lying Position

1 Observations made between 9h30m and llh30m a. m. and between 11 a. m. and 2 p. m.

The pulse-rates of the several men did not vary widely from day to day prior to the period of diet restriction, except in one or two instances, such as with Har, whose records varied from 53 to 74. Usually the ranges are within 8 or 14 beats. The average daily rate was 66 for the first day, when undoubtedly the novelty of the test played some role. The subsequent values prior to diet restriction were essentially constant, ranging only from 64 to 60. On January 9, the first observation after the diet was reduced, no great change in pulse-rate was found, save with Lon and Sne, whose pulse-rate fell 9 beats, a change however, no greater than that observed on previous days with a few subjects. On January 16, however, there was a pronounced fall with practically all of the men save Ham, whose pulse-rate of 61 on January 9 and 16 is actually higher than the rate for December 12. The extraordinarily low rates of Sch of 38, representing the absolute minimum values found with all the men, except for the isolated figure for Van of 37 on January 23, would have been particularly interesting for a comparison with prediet values. Unfortunately no such values were obtained for this subject, as Sch did not enter the squad until later in the year. Comparing the average values for the period of restricted diet, we find that although the first record (that for January 9) is the same as the last normal record, i. e., 60 beats, the pulse-rate dropped on January 16 and 23 to 52 and 48, respectively. With the resumption of normal diet the first record (that for January 30) shows a decided increase in pulse-rate in every instance, the most striking being that with Sne of 24 beats. The average for the whole squad shows an increase from 48 to 63, or 15 beats per minute. On the next experimental day, February 6, there was a still further increase with all but two men, Ham, whose pulse-rate decreased 6 beats, and Tho, whose rate did not change. A large increase was noted with How from 65 to 92. The average for the squad increased from 63 to 70. On the next two experimental days the average pulse-rate remained essentially the same, but on February 26 and March 6 there was a tendency towards a fall, the average values being 63 and 61, respectively. These later pulse-rates represent values which are probably characteristic of the normal dietetic habits of these subjects.

Thus with Squad B we have a complete duplication of the picture shown with Squad A, except that in this series of records we have also normal values prior to the diet reduction, in addition to the normal values with the resumption of full diet. While the minimum average value with Squad B was 48 as compared with the minimum average value of 44 with Squad A, it is clear that the influence of restricted diet upon the pulse-rate as indicated by both squads was very pronounced.